Announcements

From tackling a complex client matter, to engaging in a new pro bono assignment, to welcoming a new associate to the Meyers Nave team, we are thrilled to share what keeps us engaged and excited about the work we do.

Eric’s active involvement in the leadership of CHBA includes serving as the organization’s General Counsel in 2013 and currently serving as its Vice President. He received the President’s Award in recognition of his dedication to CHBA, commitment to its mission and contributions to the greater good of society in immeasurable ways.

California Public Utilities Commission

Britt Strottman and Steve Meyers helped the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea convince the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to issue a $10.85 million citation against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for multiple failures leading to a March 3, 2014 gas explosion that destroyed a cottage and damaged three homes. Britt and Steve assisted Carmel-by-the-Sea officials in successfully demanding that CPUC escalate its initial inquiry into a full-scale regulatory investigation of the blast.

Environmental Law

Agreeing with Meyers Nave, the Third District Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling that denied a request for an injunction to halt construction of a new $477 million downtown arena for the Sacramento Kings. The Court’s Nov. 20 decision rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of SB 743, which amended the California Environmental Quality Act to facilitate expedited review of the arena and set a target of 270 days for resolving CEQA litigation related to the arena.

On December 2, Amrit Kulkarni presented oral argument before the California Supreme Court on a case that Law360 calls the “biggest CEQA case” and members of the state’s land use legal community describe as a “landmark” case that will result in a “blockbuster decision.”

First Amendment

The Second District published today its December 22, 2014 decision in Save Westwood Village v. Meyer Luskin, applying the anti-SLAPP statute to protect significant charitable donations to public institutions and projects from baseless claims. The Court of Appeal confirmed that written and financial support from private donors for a new University of California facility is expression protected by the constitutional right of free speech. In addition, the Court rejected arguments that the claim against the private donors was exempt from the anti-SLAPP statute as a public interest lawsuit.

Land Use

Meyers Nave obtained a crucial victory for the University of California, Los Angeles, when Superior Court Judge Thomas I. McKnew, Jr. rejected all the California Environmental Quality Act claims filed by a local community group in its crusade to stop the construction of a conference center and hotel on campus.

Writs and Appeals

On Nov. 12, Division One of the Second Appellate District granted a rare writ of supersedeas benefitting Meyers Nave’s client in a case that will help define the constitutional powers of elected bodies. The case addresses whether the Los Angeles City Council may withdraw its “delegation” of authority to the Retirement Board in setting the amount of a health care “subsidy” for retired Police and Fire Department union members.

VERDICT Magazine published this week (at Pages 38-39) features our Appellate Practice Group’s role in two pending California Supreme Court cases that affect the potential liability of public and private health care providers: